Terri Stewart, who has served since 2009 as director of the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management, has accepted an offer to become director of the Office of Campus Safety at Nazareth College in Rochester. Succeeding Stewart will be Bill Kerry, who had left IC last summer to become associate director of the Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) Campus Police.
Stewart’s last day at Ithaca College will be January 23; Kerry will assume his new role on February 13.
“I am very sad to see Terri leave, but am extremely happy for her as she begins the next chapter in her career,” said Rory Rothman, associate provost for student life. “I want to take this opportunity to thank Terri for the tremendous leadership, service, dedication, and commitment she has provided to the Ithaca College community over the past eight years. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with and supervise Terri during this time.”
Stewart made partnership building and increased engagement with the campus community a major focus of the Office of Public Safety (OPS). Her accomplishments include adopting a community-oriented policing model; launching the Student Engagement Workgroup for Advancing Public Safety Diversity, Inclusion, and Engagement Goals; establishing a satellite office in the Campus Center; leading a reorganization of OPS; and expanding crime prevention programming and outreach. Over this past year she has shepherded the process of instituting a Community Review Board and creating guidelines for body-worn cameras.
Bill Kerry will be rejoining the Office of Public Safety, where he had served for over 14 years—most recently as Operations Lieutenant—before taking the position at TC3 last June.
“We are most fortunate that Bill has accepted our offer to return to the Office of Public Safety,” said Rothman. “He brings to this role a wealth of experience and knowledge, and he has earned the utmost respect of both the OPS team and the campus community as a whole.”
As Operations Lieutenant, Kerry supervised patrol and security operations, including scheduling and training, and was involved in the hiring of patrol, security, administrative, and student staff. During his time at IC, he was credited with helping bring improvements in the areas of special event management, emergency preparedness and response, crime prevention, and community-oriented policing.
Among other leadership roles, Kerry co-chaired the Residential Life/Public Safety Workgroup; chaired the Safety Awareness Committee; and served as a member of the Title IX, Commencement, and Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Committees and the Behavioral Intervention Team.
“The Office of Public Safety plays a critical primary role in campus emergency response, and the college community rightly has high expectations for the implementation of several active and time-sensitive OPS initiatives,” said Rothman. “In consultation with Provost Linda Petrosino and Vice President for Human Resources Brian Dickens, we determined that institutional necessity justified appointing a proven and respected leader as quickly as we could. Bill is a uniquely qualified individual, and his familiarity and capability with this work will allow the college to have a seamless and successful leadership transition.”
Kerry joined OPS as a patrol officer in 2002, rising through the ranks to become a master patrol officer, sergeant, and lieutenant. He has also served as a member of the New York State Park Police and Trumansburg Police Department. He holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a concentration in criminal justice from LeMoyne College, and completed the New York State Basic Course for Police at Corning Community College.
“In regard to Terri’s departure, she does not want a going-away event, but please feel free to drop her a line to express appreciation for her service and accomplishments, and to wish her well at Nazareth,” said Rothman. “Please also take the opportunity to welcome Bill back upon his return.”
https://www.ithaca.edu/intercom/article.php/20170112115038397